When Is A Door Not A Door?

The wee ones have spent the last four weeks attending summer school, and they love it.  They take fun classes, and the district does a great job of ensuring that everyone enjoys their summer - even if it isn't a class the child wanted to take.  Witness Little Miss who was incensed by the fact that she had to take a reading class instead of the art class she'd hoped to take and now doesn't want it to end.

One way they do this is with the fun and games they use to teach, as well as the frequent and fun recesses (held indoors that past few days due to the heat).  And of course, there is Popsicle Friday. Every Friday, the children are given a popsicle for snack instead of the healthy snack their parents send them otherwise (fruit, vegetable, or cheese only - I love it).

The best part for the wee ones isn't actually the popsicle.  It's the riddle on the popsicle stick they uncover after eating the popsicle.  They always race to tell me their jokes as I pick them up.

Mommy!  Mommy! cried Little Miss last week.  What do chickens collect at the beach?


I thought for a moment and was very proud of myself when I came up with the correct answer.  Eggshells? I guessed.  She only pouted a moment that I'd gotten it right before her face was wreathed in smiles again and she giggled along with me at the joke.

Mister Man was up next.  When is a door not a door, Mommy?


Ummmm, when it's a doorknob? I ventured.  I was very wrong.  I couldn't come up with the answer.

When it's ajar! he shouted triumphantly.  Ohhhh yeah.  I do know that joke.  He and I had a hearty laugh, but Little Miss just stood there staring at us.

That's not a funny one, Mommy.  Why are you even laughing? she demanded.

Because it is funny, Sweetie.  When the door is ajar.  That's a good joke!  Her perplexed look didn't ease.  Do you get it?


She shook her head, and I asked Mister Man to demonstrate how a door could be ajar.  He did, and she merely shook her head sadly at him.  I know that, Mommy.  But what's a jar?


I blinked at her for a minute.  A jar?  You don't know what a jar is? I asked, somewhat confused.

She shook her head and looked almost ready to cry.  Oh.  Huh.  Mister Man broke in before I could explain.  Little Miss, he announced somewhat bossily, you do know what a jar is.  A jar is what you use to capture fireflies.